The Listeners portrait series by Andrei Kovalev: an elderly man rests his chin on his hand in a black-and-white portrait.

The Listeners

In April 2015, I spent a week in Burgundy photographing some of the region’s most renowned winemakers for a personal series, The Listeners.

A Burgundy winemaker in round glasses, chin on his fist, framed by studio lights.

A Burgundy winemaker in round glasses, chin on his fist, framed by studio lights.

“They make the most elegant, astonishingly complex and intriguing wines. They are Burgundy winemakers. They are humble: they say they do not make wine, they just help the vine through its life cycle. They are listeners. They listen to the soil, the winds, the clouds and the rains, the Moon and the Sun, everything the digital generation neglects more and more. Their faces help us to become listeners.”
Vasily Raskov, wine expert, journalist and educator

A grey-haired winemaker rests his cheek on his hand, in black and white.

Cupped hands hold a clump of soil, stones and roots.

A young woman winemaker smiles and looks down, in black and white.

Cupped hands, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and small plants.

A winemaker in a tweed jacket holds an old, gnarled vine stock.

Hands in houndstooth sleeves hold a clump of stony soil.

A winemaker in glasses and a V-neck jumper looks off to one side.

Weathered hands, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and pebbles.

A young winemaker laughs, both hands in his hair.

Cupped hands hold soil, grass and white stones.

An older winemaker in wire glasses and a checked shirt half smiles.

Veined hands hold soil, a stone and a sprig of a plant.

A winemaker holds up a small greyhound in front of their face.

Slim hands hold a heap of soil and stones, crumbs falling.

A bald winemaker in a knit jumper holds a posy of wild flowers outdoors.

Hands, a leather band on one wrist, hold stones and green leaves.

A grinning winemaker in a puffer gilet stands between studio lights.

Hairy forearms, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and wild plants.

A winemaker holds a glass of red wine between studio lights.

Hands hold a large stone wrapped in moss and roots.

An older winemaker in a felt hat and a jumper, in black and white.

Hands, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and dry roots.

A winemaker in thin-rimmed glasses looks up and away.

Hairy hands, a watch on the wrist, hold dark soil and roots.

A grey-haired winemaker rests his cheek on his hand, in black and white.

Cupped hands hold a clump of soil, stones and roots.

A young woman winemaker smiles and looks down, in black and white.

Cupped hands, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and small plants.

A winemaker in a tweed jacket holds an old, gnarled vine stock.

Hands in houndstooth sleeves hold a clump of stony soil.

A winemaker in glasses and a V-neck jumper looks off to one side.

Weathered hands, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and pebbles.

A young winemaker laughs, both hands in his hair.

Cupped hands hold soil, grass and white stones.

An older winemaker in wire glasses and a checked shirt half smiles.

Veined hands hold soil, a stone and a sprig of a plant.

A winemaker holds up a small greyhound in front of their face.

Slim hands hold a heap of soil and stones, crumbs falling.

A bald winemaker in a knit jumper holds a posy of wild flowers outdoors.

Hands, a leather band on one wrist, hold stones and green leaves.

A grinning winemaker in a puffer gilet stands between studio lights.

Hairy forearms, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and wild plants.

A winemaker holds a glass of red wine between studio lights.

Hands hold a large stone wrapped in moss and roots.

An older winemaker in a felt hat and a jumper, in black and white.

Hands, a watch on one wrist, hold soil and dry roots.

A winemaker in thin-rimmed glasses looks up and away.

Hairy hands, a watch on the wrist, hold dark soil and roots.

We asked each winemaker to show us the most important ingredient of their wine: the terroir.

Behind the scenes: a winemaker sits in a sunny courtyard while a photographer shoots from the steps.

Behind the scenes: a winemaker sits in a sunny courtyard while a photographer shoots from the steps.

Credits

Interviews: Vasily Raskov · Assistant: Tatiana Almond

More of my work with winemakers and wine magazines →